Automobile hood fastener



Feb. 9 1926.

W. F. POLSON' AUTOMOBILE HOOD FASTENER Filed March 9, 1925.

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Patented Feb. 9, 1925. I

' WILLIAM F. POLSON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE HOOD FASTENER.

A lication-file March a 1923. Serial No. 623,872.

To all'wlwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. POLSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Hood Fasteners, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to improvements in pivoted fasteners, and more particularly to a fastener for automobile hoods.

Fasteners for automobile hoods invariably have spring-retained catch or lock ele ments and the pressure of the spring employed; is intended to be so adjusted prior to attaching the fastener in place, that the hood will be retained in position with its rear end over the cowl of the automobile and its front end seated over a portion of the radiator, the tension or ,pressure of the spring being adjusted so that undue'force will not be required in order to disengage the fastener from the co-acting part on the hood, the adjustment or tension of the spring being also such that rattling of parts of the fastener, or parts intended to be re tained thereby, are prevented.

In the ordinary form of automobile hood fastener, the tension or pressure of the spring is adjusted and fixed when assembling the parts of the fastener prior to applying the same to an automobile, a spring being employed and placed under a given tension,

figured to properly fasten the hood, yet prevent rattling of parts; but under such con dition it is absolutely necessary that the part on the hood co-acting with the fastener shall have a fixed relation to the pivot of the fastener, and if varied slightly, will result either in undue tension or insufficient tension being applied to the spring of the fastener when the fastener is engaged with the hood, with the result that, in the first instance, the hood will be unduly strained and difficulty experienced in gaining access to the interior of the hood, while in the second instance, rattling of the parts will take place. Variations in the framework to which the cowl is applied and the slightest variation in the. height of the radiator will result in an improper operative relation of the fastener with the co-acting part or hook on the hood of the automobile, dueto the fact thatthe part applied to the hood, .which may 111 a broad sense be considereda member -of the complete fastener, is secured thereto by means of rivets or like fastening devices passed through and fastened into perforations in the hood provided at the time of constructing the hood. Consequently, when applying hood fasteners to automobiles, it is often found necessary to remove the fastener element secured'to the trimming or side rails and disassemble the-.partswith a view of applying more orless tension or pressure to the spring, as maybe required.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive hood fastenor, which may be secured to the automobile regardless of any variation in the height of the member of the fastener applied to the hood, owing to the fact that tension of the spring and consequently the member of the fastener interlocking with the immber on the hood, may be adjusted is made for adjusting the tension of the.

spring without disassembling the parts of the fastener or, if deslred, without unhooking the two members of the fastener.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings V Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of an automobile showing one of the parts of my improvedfastener secured to the hood of the automobile, and the other part thereof to one of the trim members or side rails fastened to the side members of the chassis at opposite sides of the engine space.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1, the adjusting nut and interlocking washer being shown inelevation.

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Fig.8 is an enlarged sectional view of,

the upper end of one of the members oil: the fastener showing the adjusting nut and interlocking washer in section.

Fig. i; is an enlarged section taken on line 4l l, Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 5 is a detached perspectire VlQW oil? one of the parts of the pivoted rurinl'ier of my improved, fastener.

Fig. (3 is an inverted mrspeelire new of: the ii nprovcd interlocking washer.

Fig. 7 an inverted pers uietire ricw ol the adj ustahle nut.

Fig. 8 is a detzwhcd. perspective view of the piimted screw bolt and brachet to which it is connect ed.

Fig. 9 is a deter-l ed perspective view oi the member ol? my fastening device riveted or otherwise innnorablr fastened to the hood of the automobile.

The reference numeral 10 designates one of the trim members or side rails of the automobile secured to the upper faces 01" the side inenibers of the chassis and lying at opposite sides of the engine. and ll desigr notes the automobile hood, which extends lengthwise ili'roin the cowl to the radiator ol the automobile and from one of the trhr nieinbers or ails ot the autoniiobile to the other in archlilce torniatirm so as to cover the automobile engine. as will be clearly un derstood. it

The hood 11 invariably fastened in place by using; two fasteners at each side of the automobile. but I have shown only a single fastener in the drawings.

Fastened to a trim member or side rail '10 of: the automobile is a bracket 12 having; a flat base fl provided with a pair of spaced upsl ending ears l -l. the base 133 being screwed or otherwise taslcncd to the rail, perforations in being; prorided in the base For this purpose.

lll designatr-rs a pivoted boll harin c a flat-- lcned otl'sel portion ii" at its lower end through which and lhe cars l l: a pivot '18 is passed. said bolt being therefore tree in swing in an arc ol' a circle. the upper or tree end ot' the bolt l6 is threaded. as at if). and lialleucd at diametrically opposite points as at 20. and may therefore he. termed a serew-lmlt.

ll des enatea a combined spring casino and hook jhii-itencr. and it comprises a cylindrical portion or ljiarrel open its upper end and having an opening 23 in i s bottom through which the pivoted screw bolt 16 is passcch he bolt extending: axially through said cylindrical portion or barrel and the latter being; slidahle on said bolt. Projecting from the barrel 22 between its ends is a hood catch, preferably in the flll'lfi of a downwardly directed hook 24: adapted to engage a (lo-acting: catch in the lOIlll of an upwardly directed hook portion on t f xed member 26 riveted or. otherwise fastened to the hood, openings 27 being formed in said lined member through which and the booth rivets or other fastening means are passed.

llithiu the barrel 552 is an, expansion spring 2s. which bears with its lower end against the bottom of the barrel, and has its upper end bearing against a washer :43!) provided with an axial. owning f-U having llal sides to lit the upper latiened end ol the screw bolt 1o; said washer lining; n'ovided with a V shaped projeetiou or interlocking portion. Ell. extending dim metrically across the same, said projection or interior-hing; portion being, lklll'llOfllJV pressiiu a V-shaped depression in one side of the washer so as to create a v shapcd projection on the other side thereof. An adjusting nut 32 is threaded onto the upper end or the screw bolt 16, it being comparatively long and cylindrical and fitting; into the upper end. 0'! the barrel 22. The lower side oil this nutis -provided witha diametral \l-shaped depression 33 adapted to receive the V-shaped projection or interlockinn; portion 31 of the washer it), and by rea son, of said washer being held against rotation on the screw bolt, due to the axial opeie ing therein conforming to the cross sectional iFUllllfitiOll of the flattened upper end of the screw bolt, the washer is held against rotation but is :tree to slide on the screw bolt. '.here1"iore, upoh rotatio the nut 32 to' the t right on the screw bolt, the washer is do pr :sed against the action of the spring 28. ihe V-shnped projection oil said washer 1110\ inn out olt' the V-shaped notch of said. nut until the nut is given a half of. a complete rerolutiou. when said projection again on- !crs said notch and retains the nut in locked relation to the washer so that the nut caiuu t turn either to the right or lett. "lurning; ol the nut to the right is resorted to when it is |'ound that the spring has not been placed inuler sullieient tension, but when it l'ouud that the spring has too much tension to permit the conrcnhmt manipulation oi the :lasl'ener. the turning of the nut to c) the lel't will permit the spring to expand. as the washer will more upwardly on the belt a d istance proportionate to the degree to which the nut is sorotnted; it beingiuiderstoml that when the nut is rotated on the screw bolt in either direction, the projection on the washer is moved out of the notch on the bolt and; the under flat hire of the nut rides 1a contact with the ridge of said projection until the notch is again brought in alineinent with said projection at which times the spring: will immediately force the washer upwardly, with the projection of the latter entried in the notch of the nut.

It is to be noted that the nut extends outwardly above the upper end of the cylindrical portion or barrel 22 and that while this'nut is shown cylindrical throughout its length, itmay be otherwise formed so long as the lower end thereof is capable of coacting with the washer 27 in the manner described. The nut 32 and the washer 29 serve as adjusting means to regulate the tension of the spring 28 and, as arranged, this adjusting means is movable independent of the rod and the barrel. and may be actuated regardless of the position of other parts of the device. The upper end of the cylindrical portion or barrel 22 is provided with opposite wings or extensions 34 which serve as a handle for said barrel and enables said barrel to be drawn upwardly on the screw bolt against the action'of the spring within said barrel, thus disengaging the hook 24 of said barrel from the hook 25 of the fixed member 26 on the hood of the automobile.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the improper fitting of the hood to the automobile, which is a common occurrence, due to the fact that the framework to which the cowl is secured and also the radiator, may be elevated on one automobile to a greater extent than on another, results in the lower edges of the two parts of the hood being spaced more or less from the trim 10. The packing betweenthe cowl and the rear end of the hood and between the radiator and the front end of the hood of some automobiles vary in thickness or placement from those on other automobiles, resulting in either a loose and noisy connection or a connection whose spring tension or power is so great asto strain the hood or make it impossible to conveniently operate the fasteners; this being especially true since the openings in the hood through which the rivets are passed for fastening the fixed member '26 have a definite and predeter mined relation to the lower edges of the hood parts.

Assurance can be had, by the use of this invention, that the tension of the spring can be adjusted to and be maintained at that most desirable for allowing convenient manipulation of the fastener and to prevent undue strain on the parts to which the members of the fastener are connected, and also to prevent rattling of parts, since it is merely necessary to adjust the nut 32 and its washer, after the two members of the fastener are fastened to the'desired parts of the automobile.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an automobile hood fastener, a barrel having means for engagement with a hood,

a screw bolt entering one end of said barrel,

a spring within said barrel surrounding said I screw bolt and bearing with one end against prising a barrel having a hood catch adapted to engage the hood of an automobile, a screw bolt extending into said barrel and having a threaded portion flattened at diametrically opposite points, a spring within said barrel bearing with one end against a fixed part of said barrel, a washer on the flattened portion of said bolt against which the other end of said spring bears, and a nut partly entered in said barrel andpartly projecting therefrom, said nut bearing against said washer and being rotatable independent of said washer.

3. Anrautomobile hood fastener, comprising two telescopic parts, a spring tending to hold said parts in fully telescoped condition, a washer bearing against said spring,

and a nut rotatable on one of said parts and in interlocking relation to said washer, said nut extending partly into said barrel and partly from said barrel.

4. In a device of the kind described, a

tened lower portion pivotally secured to said bracket and a threaded upper portion flattened at diametrically opposite points, a' barrel having means for engaging the hood of an automobile and being open at its upper end, said barrel having an axial opening in its bottom through which said screw bolt is passed, a washer fitting the flattened portion of said screw bolt within said barrel, a spring compressed between said washer and the bottom of said barrel, and a nut threaded onto said screw bolt and bearing against said washer, said washer being nonrotatable and adapted to be forced downwardly against the action of said spring upon rotation of said nut in one direction, said nut and washer having interlocking parts to prevent accidental rotation of said nut.

5. The combination with a fixed part of an automobile and a movable hood portion, of a fastener having a hookmember secured to said hood portion and a pivoted member secured to said fixed automobile part and provided with a hook adapted to engage the hook of said hook member, said pivoted portion embodying in its construction an expansion spring acting to retain said hooks in interlocked condition under desired tension, and accessible means carried by but movable independently of said pivoted portion for adjusting the tension of said spring.

6. An automobile hood fastener having a pivoted part comprising a screw bolt, a barrel through which said screw bolt extends, a spring within said barrel surroundbracket, a screw bolt having an offset flat- H two spring-retained telescopic ing said sci-ow bolt and bearing with one end ugiiinst a fixed pin-t 0:5? said barre], it washer iK-iiii against rotation hut siidzibio on said screw bolt, said *nsiieir having :1 projootion on its upper face, and :1. nut threadod onto said screw bolt and having at notch on its lower face adapted to receive the projection of said Washer.

T. In a hood fastener for mitomobiles, parts, one of said parts including a barrel, and the other a SCI'CW rod extending axially through said barre], it Washer slidztblc on said screw rod and having a V-slmpod projection on its upper side and anut extending partly into said barrel and having a V-shaped notch to receive the V-shaped projection of said Washer.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM F. POLSON. 

